Refrigerating apparatus



oct. zo, 1931.

R. H. CHILTON REFRIGERAT ING APPARATUS Filed Nov.

In/vanto@ @W4/M W Patented Oct. 20, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE RALPH H. CHILTON, OF DAYTON, OHIO, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, T FRIGIDAIRE CORPORATION,` A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE REFRIGERATING APPARATUS Application led November 18, 1926. Serial No. 149,106.

This invention relates to cooling units for mechanical refrigerators, and more partlcularly to cooling units which are adapted tobe installed in refrigerating cabinets of the i household type. However, it is to be understood that the present invention may be adapted for larger refrigerating cabinets of the commercial type.

The present invention includes among its objects the provision of a cooling unit of simple and economical construction which will quickly congeal or freeze substances which are placed within a freezing compartment provided by the unit, and which will effectively cool the food compartment of the cabinet. f

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following `description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, wherein a preferred form of the present invention is clearly shown.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a front view of a refrigerator cabinet' with the doors open in'order to show the food compartment and a cooling unit within a cooling compartment Fig. 2 is a view on a larger scale than Fig. 1, showing the front view of the cooling unit which is suspended within the cooling compartment of a cabinet, the walls of which are shown in vertical section; and

vFig. 3 is a side elevation of the cooling unit drawn to the same scale as Fig. 2.

Referring to the drawings, designates a refrigerator cabinet which provides an L- shaped food 'compartment 21 separated from a cooling compartment 22 by a horizontal partition 23 and a vertical partition 24. The partition 24 is provided with a Hue 25, admitting relatively warm air from the food compartment 21 to the cooling compartment 22; and the partition 23 is provided with a flue26, admitting cooled air from the compartment 22 to the compartment 21. rl`he partition 23 supports a baille 27 which prevents moisture, dripping from the cooling unit above, from entering the Hue 26. The bafiie 27 directs such moisture upon the upper surface of the partition 23, and this moisture is conducted away through a drain pipe 28.

The cooling' unit located within the cooling compartment 22, includes a boiler or header 30 attached to the top wall of the cabinet by 55 bracket members 31 and 32. Condensed refrigerant is conducted to the header 30 from a compressor and condenser (not shown) through a pipe 33 and a fitting 34. Refrigerant is admitted from the fitting 34, as needed, by a float controlled valve (not shown), of suitable construction, located within the header 30. Expanded refrigerant' is conducted back to the compressor through a fitting 35 and a ypipe 36. The refrigerating 65 compressor' and condenser with which the pipes 33 and 36 are connected, may be located outside the cabinet, if desired, or may be lplaced within a machine compartment located below the food compartment 21, said compartment having a removable front wall 37 provided with louvres 38.

A p luralityy of looped conduits 4() of -metal of ood thermal conductivity are connected wit the header 30 and are arranged in hori- 75 zontal rows, oneon each side of a freezing space 41 which is enclosed by the header 30 and the straight, vertical branches 42 of said loops. The branches of the loops which are more remote from the space 41 are helical so in formation so as to provide a` relatively large area of heat absorbing surface within the space limited by the walls of the cooling chamber 22.

By virtue of this arrangement, the cooling unit provides what may be termed a freezing zone for quickly freezing or congealing a. substance and provides what may be termed a cooling zone for the general refrigeration of the refrigerator. The freezing zone, formed by the ducts 42', is nested within the cooling zone, formed by the ducts 43, and said freezing zone is thus protected from warming action of the circulating airflowing over the cooling unit. n

The freezing space 41 is adapted to receive one or more metal shelves or sleeves 43 which are attached to and thermally connected with i the ducts 42. The sleeves receive metal trays 44 containing matter to be frozen. 160

, other mareos circulating medium to be cooled thereby, said cooling unit including an upper header and opposed duct loops connected with theheader and in parallel circuit relation, portions of said opposed loopscooperating to provide a freezing zone therebetween, and another portion being arranged to' provide a cooling zone, said latter portions lying outwardly of the freezing zone in the path of the circulating medium, and shield'means inter` posed between the first and second portions and cooperating with the header for shielding the freezing zone from the action of the circulating medium. l

7. A cooling unit for mechanical refrigerators adapted to be placed in the path of rcirculating medium to 'be cooled thereby, said cooling unit including an upper headand duct means connected with the header, duct loop means connected 'with the header land opposed to said duct means, said loop means having a portion cooperating with the duct means to provide avfreezing zone therebetween, said loop means having asecond portion providing a cooling zone, said latter portion lying outwardly of the freezing zone in the path of the circulating` medium, and

shield means interposed between-the first and v second ortion and cooperating `with the a plate thermally Vconnecting the straight branches of the conduit, said plate being secured to said branches on the sides thereof more remote from the freezing chamber.

In testimony whereof l hereto ax my sigim nature.

header or shielding the freezing zone from the action of the circulating medium.

8. A cooling unit for mechanical refrigerators adapted to be placed in the pathof medium to be cooled thereby, said cooling unit comprising a header, duct means, and duct loop means connected with the header, said loop means having a downwardly extending duct portion cooperating with the duct means to provide a freezing zone and a second portion providing an upwardly ex-I tending duct spaced from the iirst mentioned portion, the vmaterial forming the second mentioned duet bein tortuous throughouta large portion of its height and providing a relatively larger heat transfer surface than that of the first duct throughout the same height.

9. A coolinllo unit for a refrigerator comprising a hea er having looped conduits depending 'from opposite sides thereof, the ad )acentbranches of the respective, looped conduits being substantially straight and the tortuous, theV adjacent, straight branches of the conduits cooperating wlth the header to provide a freezing space, and a plate, thermally connecting the straight branches of the conduit. 

